Federer & Nadal Enter Last Eight of French Open 2019
Federer became the oldest player in 28 years to reach the French Open Quarter Finals.
Roger Federer made short work of Argentinian Leonardo Mayer to become the oldest man in 28 years to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final at the French Open on Sunday, while Rafael Nadal claimed his 90th Roland Garros win.
The 37-year-old Federer, playing at Roland Garros for the first time since 2015, claimed a 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 win over world number 68 Mayer in a sweltering 32 degrees and will face close friend and fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka in the last eight.
"It's fabulous that I can spend this time in Paris," said Federer who last played the tournament in 2015 when he lost in the quarter-finals to Wawrinka.
Federer will be playing in his 54th quarter-final at a Slam, cementing his place on top of the all-time men's list.
Despite leading Wawrinka 23-3 in career head-to-head meetings, Federer said he still remembers his quarter-final loss to his friend in Paris four years ago.
"I have a bad memory of it. Stan beat me in three sets with his terrible shorts!" said Federer.
Nadal Eases Through
Reigning champion Nadal continued his bid for a record-extending 12th Roland Garros title by beating Grand Slam debutant Juan Ignacio Londero 6-2, 6-3, 6-3.
World number 78 Londero had his moments, breaking Nadal when 4-1 down in the third set, but the 17-time major champion always looked too strong, powering 40 winners past the Argentinian.
Nadal will face either Japanese seventh seed Kei Nishikori or home favourite Benoit Paire in his 38th Grand Slam quarter-final.
"I am very happy. Juan is a very good player so I congratulate him and his team," said Nadal.
The 32-year-old Spaniard has only been defeated twice in his French Open career and has a 10-2 record over Nishikori while he has yet to lose to Paire in four matches.
Wawrinka Goes Past Tsitsipas
Meanwhile, Stan Wawrinka outlasted Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6 (8-6), 5-7, 6-4, 3-6, 8-6 in a marathon French Open fourth-round clash that lasted five hours and nine minutes, the longest match at this year's edition of the second Grand Slam event of the season.
Both players seemed to have difficulty recovering from third round matches that they had to wrap up on Saturday, a day after the contests were suspended due to darkness.
Wawrinka made short work of Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets, while the Greek needed four sets to get past Filip Krajinovic, of Serbia.
Vondrousova Sets up Martic Clash
In a wide-open women's draw after the shock exits of top seed Naomi Osaka and 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams on Saturday, 19-year-old Marketa Vondrousova reached her maiden major quarter-final by thrashing Anastasija Sevastova.
"You can't expect you're going to play quarter-finals in a Grand Slam, but I played some tough matches," said Vondrousova. "I'm just happy with my game."
She will face 31st seed Petra Martic for a semi-final spot, after the Croatian followed up her third-round upset of second seed Karolina Pliskova by coming from a set down to beat Estonia's Kaia Kanepi.
The 28-year-old booked her place in the last eight of a Grand Slam for the first time with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 victory.
The 26th seed overpowered Vekic 6-2, 6-4 to set up a last-eight tie with either last year's runner-up Sloane Stephens or 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza.
"I feel fortunate to have played in the why I did against a player like Donna," she said.
At least five women will reach their first Roland Garros quarter-final this year, the first time that has happened since 2001.
"It's nice to see competitive matches and for people to also enjoy matches where nothing's a given, and it can be unpredictable. I think that's the beauty of sport," said Konta.
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